of jacksonville



2 Sheets-Shet W. C. KNOX.

Grain Cleaner.

No. 92,061. Patented June29.I869.

Witnesses; Inventor:

N. FETEIS. Pllolwlmlozmh'lr. Washington. RC

\ 2 Shee ts- Sheet 2.

W. C. KNOX.

Grain Cleaner.

No. 92,061. Patented June 29,1869.

Witnesses: Y Inventor.

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Letters Patent No. 92,061, dated June 29, 1869.

IMPROVEMENT IN GRAIN-SEPARATQR AND SCO URER.

. The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and making part ofthe same.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, W. C. KNOX, ofJacksonville, in the county of Morgan, and in the State of Illinois,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Grain-Separator andScour-er; and do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, andexact description thereof, reference being bad to theaccompanyingdrawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon. 1

p The nature of my invention consists in the construction and generalarrangement of a grain-separator and scourer, but more especially inmaking the scourer in segments, of a spiral, or inclined-plane shape, sothat by raising or lowering, or otherwise altering the outer or inneredges, or the back edge of these segments,

the movement of the grain can be controlled at the will of the operator.

In ordcr'to enable others skilled in the art to which my inventionappertains, to make and use the same, I will now proceed to describe itsconstruction and operation, referring to the annexed drawings, whichform a part of-this specification, and in which- Figure 1 is a sideelevation;

Figure 2, a transverse vertical section;

Figure 3 is a plan view of the scourer; and

Figure 4 is a longitudinal vertical section.

AA represent the frame-work of the machine, sup-- ported, a suitabledistance from the ground, by legs B B, or other suitable supports.

In the lower portion of the frame A, near one end,

is secured a circular metallic receptacle, 0, in which the grain fallsfrom the scourer.

This receptacle is, in the centre of its bottom, provided with a smalltube, a, exteudig upward into the same, in which tube is placed a roundshank, D, having, at its upper end, a round concave cap, E, the convexside of the said cap being up, and the concave side provided with acircular flange, b, which rests on the upper end of the tube a.

A washer, c, is, however, introduced between the two, the cap and shankrevoiving on the -tube a.

In the centre of the cap E is inserted the lower end of the verticalshaft F, this end being square, so as not to turn in the cap.

The shaft F passes upward through an aperture, e, in a platform, G, and'up'through the upper part of the frame A, having its bearing therein.

On the platform G is placed a metal cylinder, H, having, at its upperend, a circular hopper, I, in such a position, that the vertical shaft Fpasses directly through the centre of said cylinder and hopper.

The cylinder H is provided with an inner cylinder, or'lining, j,-whichis perforated with a numberof holes, so as to present a rough,scouring-surface on the inside.

Inside of the cylinder H and jacket f, the shaft F is provided with aseries of horizontal arms, g g, to which arms the scourers h h areattached. These scourers are made in the shape of a segment of a circle,perforated and placed on the arms y g, on an inclined plane. Two ofthese scourers are placed 'on each arm, on each side of the shaft,namely, one above and one below the arms, and as the sections are thesize of one-fourth of the circle, it leaves every other section open. v

The arms g g are placed on the shaft F in such a manner, thatwheu thescourers are attached to said arms, the sections that are open above,are covered below by the next sconrer, and so on throughout the wholecylinder, thus forming a complete scourer in spiral, or wedge-shapedform. The scourers may be of any number desired, and the larger thediameter of the scourers, the larger will be the scouring-surface.

The grain, as it passes through the scourer, falls down below theplatform G, on to the cap E, the opening 0 in said platform being, onthe under side, provided, with a tube, i, extending downward.

The space then left between the lower edge of the tubei and the cap E,may be lessened, by another tube, It, encircling the tube 13. y I

The tube It is operated by a lever, l, to the end of which said tube is,in some suitable manner, pivoted, the lever itself being pivoted on astandard, m; and its other end extends through the side of the frame A,having a screw-rod, n, hinged to the same. This screw-rod passes upwardthrough two cars, 0 0 and between said cars a nut, 11, is placed on thesame, so that by turningthis nut, the tube It may be raised or loweredat will, thus regulatiu g the discharge of the grain on the cap E.

The grain then falls down into the receptacle 0, and thence passes,through an opening, r, into the spout J, which opens below the machine.a

The dust, chaff, 850., which necessarily follow the grain, are,however,-notdeposited with the same, but drawn upward through the spoutJ", by the action of a current of air produced by a fan, K, placed in adrum, L, between the lower portion of the frame A and platform G.

This fan is mounted on a vertical shaft, M, and receives its motionthrough a belt, N, which connects pulleys onthe shafts F and M.

- The suction of the fan K draws the dust, chaff, &c., up, through thespout J, into the inclined suctionchamber 0, the current of airoperating through an opening, s, in the platform G, on top of which thesuction-chambers are placed.

The partition t divides the suction-chambers O and P, in the latter ofwhich the aperture s opens.

The chaff and heavier substance fall down, after passing the upper endof the partition t, 'on to an inclined board, 0:, and pass out throughan opening the end of the frame, while the dust is drawn through thesuction-chamber P, into the drum, and is blown out through an opening inthe side of the same.

The aperture s may be partially closed by a slide, 2 thus regulating thedegree of suction, which is very necessary, as, otherwise, it mighthappen the suction would be so great, as to draw the grain up the spoutJ.

Having thus fully described my invention,

\Vhat I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A grain-scourer, constructed ofperf'orated sheetiron or other metal,in segments, of a spiral, or inclinedplane shape, and so formed, that byopening or closing the outer or inner edges, the grain may be directedat the wish of the operator, substantially as set forth.

2. The arrangement of the circular receptacle 0, tube a, shank 1), withits cap E, having a circular flange, b, and washer c, all substantiallyas shown and described.

3. in combination with the perfo 'ated lining, or jacket-j, thesegmental sconrers h h, secured to arms 1 g on the vertical shaft F, allsubstantially as and for the purposes herein set forth.

4. The arrangement of the tube Ir, lever l, screwrod 11, ears 0 0, andnut 11, for the purpose of graduating the distance between the cap E andtube 1', substantially as shown and described.

5. The arrangement of the suction-chambers O J, spout J, fan K,partition t, and opening 5, all substantially as shown and described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing, I have hereunto set my hand,this 13thday of I5ebruary, 1869.

' \V. O. KNOX.

\Vit-nesses:

Emz UR WoLCoT'r, Isaac ALLEN.

